Peter Gordon: As keen as mustard

Mustard is a wonderful accompaniment to roast beef. Photo / Thinkstock

The executive chef of dine by Peter Gordon at SkyCity answers your cuisine questions.

Hi Peter, I am trying to find a substitute for Tewkesbury mustard and came across your article. Could you please advise the percentage horseradish sauce to wholegrain mustard.

- Dave Saunders, Tauranga

What I really enjoy about Tewkesbury mustard is the double heat effect from both the mustard and the horseradish. The combination works really well in the same way that a chip buttie (a sandwich of hot chips in buttered white bread) has a wonderfully pleasing double carbohydrate effect. (Truly - I'm not advocating everyone piling on the weight - it's one of life's great foodie wonders.) To be honest, you can make it in whichever ratio you prefer, although I'd use 30 per cent horseradish. You can also add up to 20 per cent hot english mustard, made from a paste of mustard powder and apple juice. Mix that with grain mustard and creamed or freshly grated horseradish - add a little salt if it needs it and a dash or two of vinegar to add some zing. Interestingly, it needs to be fairly thick, as hinted at by Shakespeare's Falstaff from Henry IV, when he alludes to someone having "his wit's as thick as Tewkesbury mustard". I can only assume a thin and pasty wit wouldn't have been particularly appealing to Falstaff!

If you're going to go to the effort of making this as a condiment, I can suggest a few others as well. I love to mix miso paste with mustard and honey - the combination of the salty and savoury (miso paste), spicy (mustard) and sweet (the honey) is perfect. Shiro (white) miso works best as it has a sweetness already. Mix 2 Tbs miso paste with 4 Tbs grain mustard and a tsp or 2 of runny mild honey. A few drops of tabasco sauce in there works wonders too. This is lovely smothered over ham, pork chops and steak, or over your breakfast sausages.

Mix 2 Tbs real wasabi paste (bizarrely, most wasabi that's sold is actually made from horseradish and mustard powder, coloured with a green dye, as it's cheaper to produce and grows more easily) with 1 Tbs hot english mustard paste and 3 Tbs creme fraiche or mayonnaise. Use smothered on grilled salmon or tuna, lamb chops and roast chicken. For genuine New Zealand 100 per cent wasabi paste ask for Coppers Folly or go online.

Lastly, while we're in a mustard mood, here's a delicious salad for the summer barbecue. Scrub 1kg purple kumara and cut into chunks (2cm square or so). Boil in salted water for 15 minutes then drain and shake in a colander to "mash" the edges a little. Toss with 2 Tbs olive oil or avocado oil, some salt and pepper, half a teaspoon or so of fresh thyme leaves and roast at 200C on a tray lined with baking parchment until golden and cooked. Mix 1/4 cup grain mustard and 1 Tbs sweet chilli sauce with 2 Tbs cider vinegar, toss with 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced. Once the kumara has cooled to body temperature, mix in the onion mustard mix, a huge handful of chopped parsley and 1/2 cup yoghurt, season and leave for an hour.

* To ask Peter a question, click on the Email Peter link below.